The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1887-01-07
miscellaneous.
Mrs. Burke's Pudding.
BY MARY N. PRESCOTT.


II had always been the custom in Mrs.
Capuet's day TO bake one of her best plum
buildings during Christmas week for the char
woman, Mrs. Burke, who was never likely to
taste such dainty ut other seasons. why
should we keep all the good things to our
selves" she used to ask, "eat plum-pudding
whenever we fancy it, and this poor, hard
working woman never know the Taste ofsuch
a morselg" 1t was also the custom of the
hous" ito build" as Harry Capulet used 10
say, several Of these rich buildings at the
same time; they would keep for weeks or
months without spelling, and there they were,
at a moments notice, If dinner company ar
rived uneXp, c,edly on washing or ironing
days, when it WAS announcement to cOncoct
nice d, sseIts. When Mrs Harry Capulet
took the management of affairs after his
mothers death, her husbands cousin, who
had been regent during the in,errcgnum, said
to her at Christmas-time: hope, dear,
you will continue Mrs. Burke's pudding she
has received it for 80 many years, she will
feel injured, I'm afraid, unless you DO"
30, certainly" answered Mrs. Harry, who
was of an economical turn of mind; 81 shall
give Mrs. Burke Il pudding, but not one of
these. What are you thinking ahoui-waste
all these decacirs on a charwumau :"
'Gingermead pudding, with few raisins
added, will satisfy her quite rs wei" put in
Mrs. Harry's sister.
"What they call u poor mans pudding :"
asked Mrs. Harry.
"Yes-lhe very thing"
"But, my DEAR" cxpostuated Sue Capu-
let, Mrs. Burke will know she has been &C.
cus omed to the best have made it prin-
ciplc to send her as good as kept l hated
to scrimp her al Christmas time"
"Oh, you're too extravagant, Cousin Sue.
Besides, you give an old ignorant char-wo-
man credit Tor all your own virtues and
tastes. don't think 1t worth while TO waste
so much money upon her a poor mans pud-
ding is more appropriate for the circumstan-
ces"
"Noblessc oblge," insisted Sue. But Mrs.
Harry laughed, and ordered the poor mans
pudding to be baked the same size MS her
own plum buildings.
II can hardly tell them apart, cook has
given them all such rich brown Surely
tie pruoi Of the pudding 10 in The baking>as
well as the ealing"
But Sue sighed. "Mrs Burke is English.
You won't be able to deceive her about un
English plum-pudding."
"Im not going to label it, and she can
take it or leave it. Beggars shouldn't be
chocscrs, I've heard" cried Mrs. Harry, who
couldn't keep her temper as well as she could
KEEP other things.
THAT was n puddingp said Mrs. Burke,
one morning after Christmas, having come in
for some work. Mrs. Harry looked at Sue.
II Think continued Mrs. Burke "they
grow nicer every year, Mrs. Capulet. This
one just melted in your mouth 1t was too
good for poor folks"
"There !" cried Mr. Capulet, as soon as
Mrs. Burke's back was turned, "what did l
tell you, Suel After educating Mrs Burke up
to the English plum pudding This is all
the good it does to educate the lower classes,
you see."
Il hope it isn't barney in Mrs Burke"
hazarded Sue.
"a man convinced against his will.
Is of the same opinion STILL"
quoted Mrs Harry.
After this, whenever Sue and Mrs. Harry
disagreed, her sister would say, Remember
Mrs. Burkes pudding, Sue" However, The
matter faded out of their minds in time, and
perhaps they would never have thought of it
again if Mr.. Gus Blake hadn't happened to
drop in upon them. Now, Mr.. Blake was
somebody worth while In Miss Lily's eyes,
She had met him here and there, danced with
him at germans, yachted with him, picnicked
with him, lunched with him once he had
even sent her some flowers she had some of
them now, pressed in book of love sonnets.
He was one oithose cordial people who shake
hands as if they were making love. Miss
Lily was more than fond of his society," she
intended to marry him. But il WIS pity
that he should arrive on the only day in the
week when they had a picked-up dinner.
"Thcre is one of the Christmas buildings
eh, at any rate" said Mrs. Harry; chat will
redeem the dinner"
Mr.. Gus Blake was very affablc as usual
He and Lily sang duets together before din
ner; she had also to show him over the
grounds, the view of the river, the eagles
nest they hunted for four.eaved clovers to
gether, and she told his fortune with daisy.
He was complimentary and gallant. Lily felt
as if q crisis was at hand. They met Sue,
with her hands full of wild flowers, coming
from school.
"a neighbour he asked, with his most
Indifferent manner, as she just nodded and
hurried by.
sob. no. That is Sue Capulet, Harry's
cousin. She used 10 keep his house before
he married"
Indeed"
eyes. She's rather prim in her ways and
opnionated, like all country people,"
"Ah she must be very dsagrecabie."
Perhaps; but one necds TO live with her
To find it out"
And you live with her "
Eyes. She will live here suppose till
somebody marrics her"
"Then she has lover?"
~ never heard of one"
And yet she is not precisely ugly" with
a wicked twinkle in his eyes.
"No, not at all; only commonplace" con-
coded Lily.
The dinner progressed as far as the des-
sert. TWAS picked up one, to be sure but
what could any one expect who came with
out announcing himself Mrs. Harry assured
herself Mr.. Blake was famous diner out /;
he knew, moreover, how to make himself
agreeable over dinner Of herbs, and then
there was her English plum-puddng to top
off with. How plump and delicious it look
ed as ii came upon the table, and what royal
odor it emitted. She cut II with pride in
her mien. She tasted it and shot quick
glance at Mrs. Harry, but said nothing. The
guest was quietly nibbling at it and talking
brilliantly. Presently Lily, who had been
listening to him, attacked It. She turned pale,
and gave her plate little angry push Then
Mrs. Harry, having helped every body else,
settled herself TO the eDjoymen. of her pud-
ding. Sue, regarding her, saw look ofcon-
s,ernation gather upon her face. She utter
ed an exclamation as if she had b. en- wound,
ed,
"Sue," she cried, angrily, you carried the
wrong pudding to Mrs, Burke. This is the
poor mans pudding" regardless of her guest.
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